COUNTY: Proper compensation

“Right now we’re eight months behind in projects; if you think I’m going to work for $35,000, forget it,” said (County Commissioner Eberlein), adding that he’s partially responsible for 750 employees and an $88 million budget and local CEOs make well above $120,000. Page A5, Budget, Coeur d’Alene Press, Sept. 1.

Why would Commissioner Eberlein campaign for a low-paying job with immense responsibilities?

With long lines at the car licensing facility and the KCBCC electing to see “how it shakes out” before they commit to more staff, the airport manager fiasco, and the poorly supervised finances at the fair, $35,000 might be the right compensation.

With almost 300 employees under the supervision of the sheriff and the assessor, clerk, prosecutor and treasurer supervising the bulk of the remaining employees, the KCBCC are left to oversee the groundskeepers, the private security guards, print shop, noxious weeds, the airport, their office staff and an odd attorney or two and a couple of workers in personnel. The KCBCC engages specialists in airport operations, noxious weed control, etc., thus having little real supervision.

A recent KCBCC valued their services so highly that they gave themselves a $40K pay raise and the public gave them the boot. If we wanted career commissioners paid like CEOs, we would move to Washington.

I don’t spend much of my time monitoring the Kootenai County Board of Commissioners, but I have a concern that there are times when they are in over their heads.

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